Read Online The Touch of a Woman by K.G. MacGregor - Free Book Online
Authors: K.G. MacGregor
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big-boned, with ginger hair that tumbled about her shoulders, she was imposing as always. Today, an olive green pantsuit brought out the color of her eyes.
Rita worked in the auditor’s office on Capitol Mall, only six blocks from the Health and Human Services building. Muntean’s used to be one of their favorite meeting places, so it was only luck they hadn’t run into each other more often.
“Sure.” Summer didn’t feel trapped this time, not like when Rita had shown up at her apartment. One wrong word, one hint of agitation, and she could walk out.
“Love this rain, huh? Not that it’ll do much for the drought. Things going okay at work?”
“Work’s work.”
This was their usual verbal dance. Talk about the weather, work. Next would be friends, and finally, Rita would offer up her version of an apology for the last shitty thing she’d done.
“End of year’s a grind, isn’t it?” She grinned, showing off a double dimple that Summer had always adored. “I hung out with Queenie and Sam over the weekend. Did you catch the Niners game?”
“Nah, I braved the mall and got some Christmas shopping done.”
Three seconds…two seconds…
“I guess I ought to apologize for coming over to your apartment that night and getting your neighbors so upset.”
“You think?”
“Come on, it wasn’t that bad. I couldn’t believe it when the cops showed up. That’s the problem with apartments. Everybody’s so close, they get in your business. That was flat out ridiculous. All I did was knock on your door.”
Summer tried her best not to take the bait, but she wasn’t going to let Rita get away with shifting the blame onto one of her neighbors. As evenly as she could manage, she replied, “That’s not the way I heard it, Rita. I know how you get when you’ve had too much to drink because I’ve heard it a million times. You yell, you curse. You call me names. People don’t like having to explain those words to their kids.”
Rita’s face reddened.
“And just so you know, ‘I guess I ought to apologize’ isn’t an apology. You need to do way better than that.”
“Would it do any good?”
“Some people say it makes them feel better.”
Rita dropped her sandwich on her plate and ran her hands through her hair, leaving behind a small piece of shredded lettuce Summer decided not to mention. “I know you’re pissed and I don’t blame you. It got away from me again. Some days I go home and have a drink—one gin and tonic or a glass of wine—and that’s it. It makes me feel like I’m in control again.”
“That’s your first mistake, Rita. The only thing you have control over is whether or not you drink that first one. After that, all bets are off.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I do have control. I haven’t had a drink since that night. I poured it all out the next day, I swear. And I’m not going to drink anymore.” She held up her hand as if taking an oath. “It was a close call. I would have been arrested if you and Queenie hadn’t taken me home.”
“Don’t think I didn’t consider it.” Her soup had gone cold, but she no longer had an appetite. Their conversations nearly always came to this. Rita would promise to quit, and then blame her eventual relapse on Summer for not coming back.
“I’m sorry, Summer. Very, very sorry. Give me a chance to prove that to you.”
“You don’t need to prove it to me. Prove it to yourself.” She shrugged into her raincoat. “It’s different this time. I know you don’t want to believe that, but I mean it. I’m not part of this equation anymore.”
“Please don’t go. Just talk to me.” Rita’s eyes were clouded with tears. Surprising since she wasn’t normally a crier. Could this time actually be different? “I feel like I’m finally on the right track. That was a wakeup call. Can you just be my friend? I’m not sure I can do this without you.”
It wasn’t quite the same as threatening to hurt
Rita worked in the auditor’s office on Capitol Mall, only six blocks from the Health and Human Services building. Muntean’s used to be one of their favorite meeting places, so it was only luck they hadn’t run into each other more often.
“Sure.” Summer didn’t feel trapped this time, not like when Rita had shown up at her apartment. One wrong word, one hint of agitation, and she could walk out.
“Love this rain, huh? Not that it’ll do much for the drought. Things going okay at work?”
“Work’s work.”
This was their usual verbal dance. Talk about the weather, work. Next would be friends, and finally, Rita would offer up her version of an apology for the last shitty thing she’d done.
“End of year’s a grind, isn’t it?” She grinned, showing off a double dimple that Summer had always adored. “I hung out with Queenie and Sam over the weekend. Did you catch the Niners game?”
“Nah, I braved the mall and got some Christmas shopping done.”
Three seconds…two seconds…
“I guess I ought to apologize for coming over to your apartment that night and getting your neighbors so upset.”
“You think?”
“Come on, it wasn’t that bad. I couldn’t believe it when the cops showed up. That’s the problem with apartments. Everybody’s so close, they get in your business. That was flat out ridiculous. All I did was knock on your door.”
Summer tried her best not to take the bait, but she wasn’t going to let Rita get away with shifting the blame onto one of her neighbors. As evenly as she could manage, she replied, “That’s not the way I heard it, Rita. I know how you get when you’ve had too much to drink because I’ve heard it a million times. You yell, you curse. You call me names. People don’t like having to explain those words to their kids.”
Rita’s face reddened.
“And just so you know, ‘I guess I ought to apologize’ isn’t an apology. You need to do way better than that.”
“Would it do any good?”
“Some people say it makes them feel better.”
Rita dropped her sandwich on her plate and ran her hands through her hair, leaving behind a small piece of shredded lettuce Summer decided not to mention. “I know you’re pissed and I don’t blame you. It got away from me again. Some days I go home and have a drink—one gin and tonic or a glass of wine—and that’s it. It makes me feel like I’m in control again.”
“That’s your first mistake, Rita. The only thing you have control over is whether or not you drink that first one. After that, all bets are off.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I do have control. I haven’t had a drink since that night. I poured it all out the next day, I swear. And I’m not going to drink anymore.” She held up her hand as if taking an oath. “It was a close call. I would have been arrested if you and Queenie hadn’t taken me home.”
“Don’t think I didn’t consider it.” Her soup had gone cold, but she no longer had an appetite. Their conversations nearly always came to this. Rita would promise to quit, and then blame her eventual relapse on Summer for not coming back.
“I’m sorry, Summer. Very, very sorry. Give me a chance to prove that to you.”
“You don’t need to prove it to me. Prove it to yourself.” She shrugged into her raincoat. “It’s different this time. I know you don’t want to believe that, but I mean it. I’m not part of this equation anymore.”
“Please don’t go. Just talk to me.” Rita’s eyes were clouded with tears. Surprising since she wasn’t normally a crier. Could this time actually be different? “I feel like I’m finally on the right track. That was a wakeup call. Can you just be my friend? I’m not sure I can do this without you.”
It wasn’t quite the same as threatening to hurt
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